CCA Applauds Bipartisan Introduction of the AIRWAVES Act

Washington, DC – February 7, 2018 – Yesterday, Representatives Leonard Lance (R-NJ), Mike Doyle (D-PA), Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Susan Brooks (R-IN), Peter Welch (D-VT), Tim Walberg (R-MI), and Yvette Clarke (D-NY) introduced the “Advancing Innovation and Reinvigorating Widespread Access to Viable Electromagnetic Spectrum Act” (“AIRWAVES Act”), which directs the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC” or “Commission”) to complete a system of competitive bidding for new licenses on various frequencies to be made available for commercial spectrum use. Competitive Carriers Association (“CCA”) commends the Members for the bipartisan introduction of the Act, and especially for including the 24 and 47 GHz bands in the bidding process and reserving dedicated funding to expand mobile broadband in rural areas.

In a statement, CCA President & CEO Steven K. Berry said, “I thank Representatives Lance, Doyle, Guthrie, Matsui, Brooks, Welch, Walberg, and Clarke for the bipartisan introduction of the AIRWAVES Act. Making additional spectrum available for commercial use will benefit the economy, industry, and most importantly consumers, and will help achieve the FCC’s important goal of closing the digital divide. Particularly as AT&T and Verizon have dominated secondary market transactions for millimeter wave spectrum, a swift auction of these bands will give all carriers a meaningful opportunity to access critical spectrum resources.”

“I am especially pleased that the AIRWAVES Act includes the 24 and 47 GHz bands in the competitive bidding process and also a rural buildout funding mechanism to ensure rural areas are not left behind. I applaud the Members for understanding that many rural locations do not have mobile broadband services comparable to their urban counterparts and look forward to continued work to move this legislation forward.”

About CCACCA is the nation’s leading association for competitive wireless providers and stakeholders across the United States. The licensed service area of CCA’s nearly 100 carrier members covers 95 percent of the nation. Visit www.ccamobile.org.